Anandamide inhibits metabolism and physiological actions of 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the striatum

Of the endocannabinoids (eCBs), anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) have received the most study. A functional interaction between these molecules has never been described. Using mouse brain slices, we found that stimulation of metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors by 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) depressed inhibitory transmission in the striatum through selective involvement of 2-AG metabolism and stimulation of presynaptic CB1 receptors. Elevation of AEA concentrations by pharmacological or genetic inhibition of AEA degradation reduced the levels, metabolism and physiological effects of 2-AG. Exogenous AEA and the stable AEA analog methanandamide inhibited basal and DHPG-stimulated 2-AG production, confirming that AEA is responsible for the downregulation of the other eCB. AEA is an endovanilloid substance, and the stimulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels mimicked the effects of endogenous AEA on 2-AG metabolism through a previously unknown glutathione-dependent pathway. Consistently, the interaction between AEA and 2-AG was lost after pharmacological and genetic inactivation of TRPV1 channels.     

Impaired expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase in monocyte-derived dendritic cells in response to Toll-like receptor-7/8 ligands

The endogenous cannabinoid system plays an important role in regulating the immune system. Modulation of endogenous cannabinoids represents an attractive alternative for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. This study investigated the effects of URB597, a selective inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme catalysing degradation of the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide, and AM404, an inhibitor of anandamide transport, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced increases in plasma cytokine levels in rats. Both URB597 and AM404 potentiated the LPS-induced increase in plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) antagonist, GW9662, attenuated the AM404-induced augmentation of TNF-alpha levels. Furthermore, the selective cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonists, AM251 and AM630 respectively, and the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor-1 (TRPV1) antagonist, SB366791, reduced LPS-induced TNF-alpha plasma levels both alone and in combination with AM404. In contrast, AM404 inhibited LPS-induced increases in circulating interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-6. AM251 attenuated the immunosuppressive effect of AM404 on IL-1beta. None of the antagonists altered the effect of AM404 on LPS-induced IL-6. Moreover, AM251, AM630 and SB366791, administered alone, inhibited LPS-induced increases in plasma IL-1beta and IL-6 levels. In conclusion, inhibition of endocannabinoid degradation or transport in vivo potentiates LPS-induced increases in circulating TNF-alpha levels, an effect which may be mediated by PPARgamma and is also reduced by pharmacological blockade of CB1, CB2 and TRPV1. The immunosuppressive effect of AM404 on IL-1beta levels is mediated by the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Improved understanding of endocannabinoid-mediated regulation of immune function has fundamental physiological and potential therapeutic significance.     

Endocannabinoid-dependent LTD in a nociceptive synapse requires activation of a presynaptic TRPV-like receptor

Recent studies have found that some forms of endocannabinoid-dependent synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus are mediated through activation of transient potential receptor vanilloid (TRPV) receptors instead of cannabinoid receptors CB1 or CB2. The potential role for synaptic localization of TRPV receptors during endocannabinoid modulation of nociceptive synapses was examined in the leech CNS where it is possible to record from the same pair of neurons from one preparation to the next. Long-term depression (LTD) in the monosynaptic connection between the nociceptive (N) sensory neuron and the longitudinal (L) motor neuron was found to be endocannabinoid-dependent given that this depression was blocked by RHC-80267, an inhibitor of DAG lipase that is required for 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2AG) synthesis. Intracellular injection of a second DAG lipase inhibitor, tetrahyrdolipstatin (THL) was also able to block this endocannabinoid-dependent LTD (ecLTD) when injected postsynaptically but not presynaptically. N-to-L ecLTD was also inhibited by the TRPV1 antagonists capsazepine and SB 366791. Bath application of 2AG or the TRPV1 agonists capsaicin and resiniferatoxin mimicked LTD and both capsaicin- and 2AG-induced depression were blocked by capsazepine. In addition, pretreatment with 2AG or capsaicin occluded subsequent expression of LTD induced by repetitive activity. Presynaptic, but not postsynaptic, intracellular injection of capsazepine blocked both activity- and 2AG-induced ecLTD, suggesting that a presynaptic TRPV-like receptor in the leech mediated this form of synaptic plasticity. These findings potentially extend the role ecLTD to nociceptive synapses and suggest that invertebrate synapses, which are thought to lack CB1/CB2 receptor orthologues, utilize a TRPV-like protein as an endocannabinoid receptor.     

The FAAH inhibitor URB-597 interferes with cisplatin- and nicotine-induced vomiting in the Suncus murinus (house musk shrew)

Considerable evidence implicates the endocannabinoid system as a neuromodulator of nausea and vomiting. The action of anandamide (AEA) can be prolonged by inhibiting its degradation, through the use of URB597 (URB), a Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme inhibitor. Here we present evidence that the FAAH inhibitor, URB, interferes with cisplatin- and nicotine-induced vomiting in the Suncus murinus. In Experiment 1, shrews were injected with URB (0.9 mg/kg) or vehicle 120 min prior to the behavioral testing. They received a second injection of AEA (5 mg/kg) or vehicle 15 min prior to being injected with cisplatin (20 mg/kg) or saline and the number of vomiting episodes were counted for 60 min. In Experiment 2, shrews were injected with vehicle or URB (0.9 mg/kg) 120 min prior to receiving an injection of nicotine (5 mg/kg) or saline and the number of vomiting episodes were counted for 15 min. Experiment 3 evaluated the potential of the CB₁ antagonist, SR141716, to reverse the effect of URB on nicotine-induced vomiting. URB attenuated vomiting produced by cisplatin and nicotine and the combination of URB + AEA suppressed vomiting produced by cisplatin. The effect of URB on nicotine-induced vomiting was reversed by SR141716. These data suggest that the EC system plays a tonic role in the regulation of toxin-induced vomiting.     

Postsynaptic endocannabinoid release is critical to long-term depression in the striatum

The striatum functions critically in movement control and habit formation. The development and function of cortical input to the striatum are thought to be regulated by activity-dependent plasticity of corticostriatal glutamatergic synapses. Here we show that the induction of a form of striatal synaptic plasticity, long-term depression (LTD), is dependent on activation of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. LTD was facilitated by blocking cellular endocannabinoid uptake, and postsynaptic loading of anandamide (AEA) produced presynaptic depression. The endocannabinoid necessary for striatal LTD is thus likely to be released postsynaptically as a retrograde messenger. These findings demonstrate a new role for endocannabinoids in the induction of long-term synaptic plasticity in a circuit necessary for habit formation and motor control.     

Elevated temperatures alter TRPV1 agonist-evoked excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons

The vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) is activated by capsaicin, several endogenous lipids, acidic pH and elevated temperatures. Inflammatory mediators (BK, substance P) also modulate TRPV1 activity. In this study we investigated the effect of TRPV1 agonists and elevated temperatures on neuronal membrane excitability by electrophysiological techniques using freshly isolated rat dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGs). Focal application of heated solutions demonstrated that the normal threshold (~42°C) of TRPV1 activation was reduced in the presence of capsaicin (1μM) to ~30°C. In current-clamp recordings, increasing the temperature of the solution resulted in larger membrane depolarizations and significantly altered the pattern and onset of the action potential train evoked by 1μM capsaicin. These effects were blocked by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (10μM). In contrast to capsaicin, anandamide (10μM) alone did not evoke action potentials, but it did alter the excitability of neurons to subsequent applications of heat (50°C). Together these results provide evidence that a synergistic interaction of TRPV1 ligands and elevated temperature activates TRPV1 receptors and results in profound effects on membrane excitability. Received 19 November 2007; returned for revision 21 January 2008; received from final revision 13 March 2008; accepted by G. Geisslinger 14 March 2008     

Dynamic characteristics and adaptability of reflex eye movements of Fyn-kinase-deficient mice

Substance P (SP) stimulates striatal dopamine outflow through a cholinergic muscarinic link. SP-induced increase in acetylcholine (Ach) is concentration-dependent, whereas the stimulation of dopamine outflow is seen only over a limited concentration range. M(1) and M(2) receptor stimulation has opposite effects on dopamine outflow. We postulated that the effect of SP on dopamine outflow depends on the M(1)/M(2) balance. We show that Ach (10-2500 microM) stimulates dopamine outflow in striatal slices in a biphasic manner, similar to SP (0.01-100 nM). An inactive SP concentration (10 nM) which was higher than the active concentration range, became active in the presence of the M(2) antagonist methoctramine (100 microM). Conversely, the effect of 1 nM SP was reversed by the M(1) antagonist pirenzepine (1 microM). Our observations show that SP modulation of dopamine outflow is determined by a balance between M(1) and M(2) receptors.     

Adrenergic regulation of P2X3 and TRPV1 receptors: differential effects of spared nerve injury

Local application of alphabetaMeATP (ligand for P2X3 receptors) and capsaicin (ligand for TRPV1 receptors) to the rat hindpaw produces pain behaviors (flinching) which are enhanced by noradrenaline (NA). In this study, we have examined the effect of nerve injury on adrenergic regulation of P2X3 and TRPV1 receptors by administering alphabetaMeATP and capsaicin, alone and in combination with NA, into the lateral and medial hindpaw in the spared nerve injury (SNI) model; this allows for an exploration of the role of injured and uninjured afferents in their effects on nociceptive signaling using a behavioral model. Following lateral hindpaw injections (sural sensory field), effects of NA and alphabetaMeATP, both alone and in combination, were increased following SNI, but no such effects were seen following medial hindpaw injections (saphenous sensory field). Following lateral hindpaw injections, the effect of capsaicin alone was unaltered following SNI, but the effect of NA/capsaicin was reduced; this latter effect was not seen following medial hindpaw injections. At the lateral site, prazosin (alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) inhibited the effect of NA/alphabetaMeATP following SNI, but neither prazosin nor GF109203X (protein kinase C inhibitor) inhibited the effect of NA/capsaicin following SNI. These results demonstrate: (a) an enhanced adrenergic regulation of P2X3 receptor activity at lateral sites following SNI where signaling afferents are directly influenced by injured neurons; (b) differential effects on adrenergic regulation of TRPV1 receptors under the same conditions; (c) lack of such changes when agents are administered into medial sites following SNI.     

Behavioural and molecular consequences of chronic cannabinoid treatment in Huntington's disease transgenic mice

Early loss of CB1 receptors is a hallmark of human Huntington's disease. Data from rodent studies suggest that preservation and activation of CB1 receptors may be protective against disease progression. R6/1 transgenic mice are considered to be a model of early pathogenic changes in Huntington's disease. We have shown previously that levels of CB1 in R6/1 mice prior to the onset of motor symptoms (12 weeks of age) remain high enough to justify commencement of cannabinoid drug treatment. Eight weeks of daily treatment with the cannabinoid agonists HU210 (0.01 mg/kg) and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 10.00 mg/kg), or the inhibitor of endocannabinoid metabolism URB597 (0.30 mg/kg), did not alter the progressive deterioration of performance observed in motor behavioural testing. HU210-treated R6/1 mice experienced a significant increase in seizure events suggesting that this therapy may lower the seizure threshold and cautioning against highly efficacious agonists as potential therapy in this disease. Molecular characterisation of brains at the end of the study showed that there were no significant effects of HU210 or THC treatment on the ligand binding of cannabinoid CB1, dopamine D1, D2, serotonin 5HT2A or GABA_A receptors, nor CB1 or fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) mRNA expression in R6/1 mice. Intriguingly, a significant increase in the number of ubiquitinated aggregates was observed in the striatum with HU210 treatment, indicating an influence of CB1 on the disease process. Chronic URB597 treatment preserved CB1 receptors in the R6/1 striatum, suggesting that the manipulation of endocannabinoid levels warrants further exploration.     

Immunohistochemical localization of anabolic and catabolic enzymes for anandamide and other putative endovanilloids in the hippocampus and cerebellar cortex of the mouse brain

An increasing body of evidence indicates that: 1) the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and other unsaturated N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), 2) 12-(S)-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) products of arachidonic acid, and 3) unsaturated N-acyldopamines (NADAs), act as endogenous ligands of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channels at intracellular binding sites. AEA is synthesized and released "on demand" in neurons from its membrane precursor, N-arachidonoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, by an N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), and is inactivated by intracellular hydrolysis by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), whereas catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) was suggested to inactivate NADAs. However, it is not known whether these enzymes or 12-LOX co-localize to any extent with TRPV1 receptors in the brain. In this study we used immunohistochemical techniques (single peroxidase and double immunofluorescence staining), and analyzed the localization of the TRPV1 channel in mouse hippocampal and cerebellar neurons with respect to NAPE-PLD, FAAH, 12-LOX and COMT. Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), another putative AEA-degrading enzyme, was also studied. Co-localization between TRPV1 and either NAPE-PLD or FAAH, COX-2, 12-LOX and COMT was found in Ammon's horn (CA3) hippocampal pyramidal neurons and (with the exception of 12-LOX) in some Purkinje cells. At the cellular level, both anabolic and catabolic enzymes appeared as fine grains with immunoperoxidase labeling and were observed in the somatodendritic compartment of CA3 pyramidal cells as well as (with the exception of 12-LOX) in the cytoplasm of Purkinje neurons, in which FAAH and COX-2 immunoreactivities were, however, preferentially localized in the large extension of the dendritic arbor. Our data agree with the hypothesis that, in potential "endovanillergic" neurons, endogenous TRPV1 agonists, and AEA in particular, act as intracellular mediators by being produced from and/or degraded by the same mouse brain cells that express TRPV1 receptors.     

Calcium-dependent inhibition of T-type calcium channels by TRPV1 activation in rat sensory neurons

We studied the inhibitory effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) activation by capsaicin on low-voltage-activated (LVA, T-type) Ca²⁺ channel and high-voltage-activated (HVA; L, N, P/Q, R) currents in rat DRG sensory neurons, as a potential mechanism underlying capsaicin-induced analgesia. T-type and HVA currents were elicited in whole-cell clamped DRG neurons using ramp commands applied before and after 30-s exposures to 1 μM capsaicin. T-type currents were estimated at the first peak of the I–V characteristics and HVA at the second peak, occurring at more positive potentials. Small and medium-sized DRG neurons responded to capsaicin producing transient inward currents of variable amplitudes, mainly carried by Ca²⁺. In those cells responding to capsaicin with a large Ca²⁺ influx (59% of the total), a marked inhibition of both T-type and HVA Ca²⁺ currents was observed. The percentage of T-type and HVA channel inhibition was prevented by replacing Ca²⁺ with Ba²⁺ during capsaicin application or applying high doses of intracellular BAPTA (20 mM), suggesting that TRPV1-mediated inhibition of T-type and HVA channels is Ca²⁺-dependent and likely confined to membrane nano-microdomains. Our data are consistent with the idea that TRPV1-induced analgesia may derive from indirect inhibition of both T-type and HVA channels which, in turn, would reduce the threshold of nociceptive signals generation (T-type channel inhibition) and nociceptive synaptic transmission (HVA-channels inhibition).     

Polymodal activation of the endocannabinoid system in the extended amygdala

The reason why neurons synthesize more than one endocannabinoid (eCB) and how this is involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity in a single neuron is not known. We found that 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide mediate different forms of plasticity in the extended amygdala of rats. Dendritic L-type Ca(2+) channels and the subsequent release of 2-AG acting on presynaptic CB1 receptors triggered retrograde short-term depression. Long-term depression was mediated by postsynaptic mGluR5-dependent release of anandamide acting on postsynaptic TRPV1 receptors. In contrast, 2-AG/CB1R-mediated retrograde signaling mediated both forms of plasticity in the striatum. These data illustrate how the eCB system can function as a polymodal signal integrator to allow the diversification of synaptic plasticity in a single neuron.     

Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 receptor regulates glutamatergic synaptic inputs to the spinothalamic tract neurons of the spinal cord deep dorsal horn

The spinothalamic tract (STT) neurons in the spinal dorsal horn play an important role in transmission and processing of nociceptive sensory information. Although transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptors are present in the spinal cord dorsal horn, their physiological function is not fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the role of TRPV1 in modulating neuronal activity of the STT neurons through excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on STT neurons labeled by a retrograde fluorescent tracer injected into the ventral posterior lateral (VPL) nucleus of the thalamus. Capsaicin (1 μM) increased the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSC) without changing the amplitude or decay time constant of mEPSC. In contrast, capsaicin had no distinct effect on GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSC). Capsazepine (10 μM), a TRPV1 receptor antagonist, abolished the effect of capsaicin on mEPSCs. Capsazepine itself did not affect the baseline amplitude and frequency of mEPSC. The effect of capsaicin on mEPSC was also abolished by removal of external Ca²⁺, but not by treatment with Cd²⁺. Furthermore, capsaicin increased the firing activity of the STT neurons and this increase in neuronal activity by capsaicin was abolished in the presence of non–N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) and NMDA receptor antagonists, 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX) and (R)-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV). These data suggest that activation of TRPV1 potentiates the glutamate release from excitatory terminals of primary afferent fibers and subsequently increases the neural activity of STT neurons of the rat spinal cord deep dorsal horn.     

Cannabinoids modulate the P-type high-voltage-activated calcium currents in purkinje neurons

Endocannabinoids released by postsynaptic cells inhibit neurotransmitter release in many central synapses by activating presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. In particular, in the cerebellum, endocannabinoids inhibit synaptic transmission at granule cell to Purkinje cell synapses by modulating presynaptic calcium influx via N-, P/Q-, and R-type calcium channels. Using whole cell patch-clamp techniques, we show that in addition to this presynaptic action, both synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids inhibit P-type calcium currents in isolated rat Purkinje neurons independent of CB1 receptor activation. The IC50 for the anandamide (AEA)-induced inhibition of P-current peak amplitude was 1.04 +/- 0.04 microM. In addition, we demonstrate that all the tested cannabinoids in a physiologically relevant range of concentrations strongly accelerate inactivation of P currents. The effects of AEA cannot be attributed to the metabolism of AEA because a nonhydrolyzing analogue of AEA, methanandamide inhibited P-type currents with a similar efficacy. All effects of cannabinoids on P-type Ca2+ currents were insensitive to antagonists of CB1 cannabinoid or vanilloid TRPV1 receptors. In cerebellar slices, WIN 55,212-2 significantly affected spontaneous firing of Purkinje neurons in the presence of CB1 receptor antagonist, in a manner similar to that of a specific P-type channel antagonist, indicating a possible functional implication of the direct effects of cannabinoids on P current. Taken together these findings demonstrate a functionally important direct action of cannabinoids on P-type calcium currents.     

TRPV1 activation prevents high-salt diet-induced nocturnal hypertension in mice

High dietary salt-caused hypertension is associated with increasing reactive oxygen species generation and reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), a specific receptor for capsaicin, is proposed to be involved in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension, as determined in acute or short-term experiments. However, it remains unknown whether activation of TRPV1 by dietary capsaicin could prevent the vascular oxidative stress and hypertension induced by a high-salt diet. Here, we report that consumption of a high-salt diet blunted endothelium-dependent relaxation in mesenteric resistance arteries and elevated nocturnal blood pressure in mice. These effects were associated with increased superoxide anion generation and reduced NO levels in mesenteric vessels in mice on a high-salt diet. However, chronic administration of capsaicin reduced the high-salt diet-induced endothelial dysfunction and nocturnal hypertension in part by preventing the generation of superoxide anions and NO reduction of mesenteric arteries through vascular TRPV1 activation. Our findings provide new insights into the role of TRPV1 channels in the long-term regulation of blood pressure in response to high-salt intake. TRPV1 activation through chronic dietary capsaicin may represent a promising lifestyle intervention in populations with salt-sensitive hypertension.     

Functional type I vanilloid receptor expression by substantia gelatinosa neurons of trigeminal subnucleus caudalis in mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of functional TRPV1 receptor by substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), which is implicated in the processing of nociceptive information from orofacial regions. The direct membrane effects of a TRPV1 receptor agonist, capsaicin, were examined by gramicidin-perforated patch clamp recording using a trigeminal brainstem slice preparation containing Vc from immature mice. Capsaicin (1–2 μM) induced a membrane depolarization in 58 out of 71 SG neurons tested (82%). Capsaicin-induced depolarization was maintained in 20 out of 32 (63%) SG neurons in the presence of amino acid and voltage-dependent sodium channel blockers (10 μM CNQX, 20 μM AP-5, 0.5 μM TTX, 50 μM picrotoxin and 2 μM strychnine). In addition, capsaicin-induced depolarization was maintained in the presence of L-732,138 (1 μM), an NK1 receptor antagonist, in 14 out of 17 neurons (82%) tested. The capsaicin-induced depolarizing effects were blocked by a TRPV1 receptor antagonist, capsazepine (10 μM). These results indicate that a sub-population of SG neurons in the Vc express functional TRPV1 receptors, and that capsaicin can directly activate the TRPV1 receptor on the postsynaptic membrane of SG neurons.     

Differential contribution of dopamine D2S and D2L receptors in the modulation of glutamate and GABA transmission in the striatum

Compelling evidence indicates that the long (D2L) and the short (D2S) isoform of dopamine (DA) D2 receptors serve distinct physiological functions in vivo. To address the involvement of these isoforms in the control of synaptic transmission in the striatum, we measured the sensitivity to D2 receptor stimulation of glutamate- and GABA-mediated currents recorded from striatal neurons of three mutant mice, in which the expression of D2L and D2S receptors was either ablated or variably altered. Our data indicate that both isoforms participate in the presynaptic inhibition of GABA transmission in the striatum, while the D2-receptor-dependent modulation of glutamate release preferentially involves the D2S receptor. Accordingly, the inhibitory effects of the DA D2 receptor agonist quinpirole (10 microM) on GABA(A)-mediated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs)correlate with the total number of D2 receptor sites in the striatum, irrespective of the specific receptor isoform expressed. In contrast, glutamate-mediated spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were significantly inhibited by quinpirole only when the total number of D2 receptor sites, normally composed by both D2L and D2S receptors in a ratio favoring the D2L isoform, was modified to express only the D2S isoform at higher than normal levels. Understanding the physiological roles of DA D2 receptors in the striatum is essential for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, and drug addiction.     

Different ion channel mechanisms between low concentrations of capsaicin and high concentrations of capsaicin and nicotine regarding peptide release from pulmonary afferents.

Vagal nerve stimulation (1 Hz for 1 min), capsaicin (10(-8) M and 10(-6) M), resiniferatoxin (3 x 10(-10) M) and nicotine (10(-4) M) evoked a non-cholinergic bronchoconstriction in the isolated perfused guinea-pig lung preparation. Simultaneously there was an increase in the perfusate levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity, suggesting release from sensory nerves. Both the bronchoconstriction and peptide release evoked by a low concentration of capsaicin (10(-8) M) and that evoked by nerve stimulation were depressed by tetrodotoxin, suggesting involvement of Na+ channel dependent depolarization. Since the effects of capsaicin (10(-8) M) and vagal nerve stimulation were inhibited by omega-conotoxin but not influenced by nifedipine, the Ca(2+)-channel dependent is probably of N-type. Furthermore, the capsaicin analogue resiniferatoxin also evoked omega-conotoxin sensitive peptide release and bronchoconstriction. At the higher capsaicin concentration (10(-6) M), the functional response was only slightly inhibited by omega-conotoxin or tetrodotoxin indicating that capsaicin at this concentration evoked peptide release and functional effects through other mechanisms, probably involving Ca2+ fluxes in the non-selective cation channel associated with the proposed capsaicin receptor. The nicotine (10(-4) M) evoked peptide release and bronchoconstriction were only marginally influenced by omega-conotoxin or tetrodotoxin. It is concluded that the ion-channel mechanisms underlying the peptide releasing properties of antidromic nerve stimulation and low concentrations of capsaicin are similar and depend on action potential propagation, whereas capsaicin in high, toxic concentration and nicotine mainly act via receptor operated channels.     

Endocannabinoids contribute to metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated inhibition of GABA release onto hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in an isolated neuron/bouton preparation

Retrograde synaptic signaling by endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) is a recently discovered form of neuromodulation in various brain regions. In hippocampus, it is well known that endocannabinoids suppress presynaptic inhibitory neurotransmitter release in CA1 region. However, endocannabinoid signaling in CA3 region remains to be examined. Here we investigated whether presynaptic inhibition can be caused by activation of postsynaptic group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and following presynaptic cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1 receptor) using mechanically dissociated rat hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons with adherent functional synaptic boutons. Application of group I mGluR agonist (RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) reversibly suppressed spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs). In the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), frequency of miniature IPSCs was significantly reduced by DHPG, while there were no significant changes in minimum quantal size and sensitivity of postsynaptic GABA_A receptors to the GABA_A receptor agonist muscimol, indicating that this suppression was caused by a decrease in GABA release from presynaptic nerve terminals. Application of CB1 synthetic agonist WIN55212-2 (mesylate(R)-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[4-morpholino)methyl]pyrrolo-[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl](1-naphthyl)methanone) or endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol also suppressed the spontaneous IPSC. The inhibitory effect of DHPG on spontaneous IPSCs was abolished by SR-141716 (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-4-methyl-N-(piperidin-1-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide), a CB1 receptor antagonist. Furthermore, postsynaptic application of GDP-βS blocked the DHPG-induced inhibition of spontaneous IPSCs, indicating the involvement of endcannabinoid-mediated retrograde synaptic signaling. These results provide solid evidence for retrograde signaling from postsynaptic group I mGluRs to presynaptic CB1 receptors, which induces presynaptic inhibition of GABA release in rat hippocampal CA3 region.